Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbel 0579’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbel 0579’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; early and long flowering period; numerous single purple violet-colored flowers with darker purple coloration towards the throat; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBEL 0579’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunbel 0579’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new compact, mounding and freelybranching Calibrachoa plants with numerous attractive and uniquelycolored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2007 of aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9P9,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 3137-1, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceSeptember, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbel 0579’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunbel 0579’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Early and long flowering period.    -   5. Numerous single purple violet-colored flowers with darker        purple coloration towards the throat.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of thefemale parent selection have pink-colored flowers. In addition, plantsof the new Calibrachoa are more mounding than and not as upright asplants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of themale parent selection have red purple-colored flowers. In addition,plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of themale parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants ofCalibrachoa ‘Sunbelao’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,391. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelao’ differed primarily in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact and mounding        than plants of ‘Sunbelao’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Sunbelao’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelao’ differed        slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbel 0579’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunbel 0579’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoornursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typicalof commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and thedescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbel 0579’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9P9, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 3137-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 17 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 7.1 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 143C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 143B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 143B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 5.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 59 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three            to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,            flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants            flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn            in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 3.2 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 2 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.3 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.7 cm.            Diameter: About 8.1 mm. Color: Towards the apex, close to            79B; base towards the mid-section, close to 145C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.6 cm. Petal width: About 1.7 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Retuse. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat            texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color:            Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to N81A; towards            the throat, close to 79A. Petal, when opening, lower            surface: Close to N81C. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:            Close to N81B to N81C; towards the throat, close to 79A to            79B; color becoming closer to N81D with development;            venation, close to 83B. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:            Close to N81C; color becoming closer to N81D with            development; venation, close to N79A. Throat: Close to 6A;            venation, close to 79B. Tube: Close to 149D; venation, close            to N79A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped tubular calyx tube with            five sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 7 mm to            10 mm. Sepal width: About 3.9 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color: Immature,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C. Mature, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Angle: Semi-upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Stamen length: About 9 mm to 10 mm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 1.2 mm. Anther            color: Close to 10C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 4A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 8.9 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma            shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to            144B. Ovary color: Close to 144C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbel0579’ as illustrated and described.